"Correctly use the magic barrier of the corresponding element, right..." Kael forced a bitter smile, looking utterly weary of life.

  It seemed he was destined to die an uncountable number of times in this trial. One slip-up meant starting over from the beginning. This kind of trial was far more mentally taxing than the brutal beatdowns Blood Wolf and the others received from the four "monsters" in the Arena.

  Don't be fooled by the simplicity of the rule. When you're facing wave after wave of multicolored magic projectiles flying at you so fast you can barely see them, you realize just how hopeless this trial is.

  After what felt like an eternity, Kael was on the verge of becoming catatonic from the barrage of colors. However, his reaction speed and grasp of combat rhythm were skyrocketing—improving at a pace that could only be described as "rocket-like."

  There's no denying that dancing on the edge of life and death is the fastest and most effective way to spark one's potential. Finally, just before Kael’s mind completely shattered, the first stage was cleared.

  [Congratulations, Challenger, for completing Stage One. Please prepare; Stage Two is about to begin.]

  Wait...

  Through his blurred consciousness, Kael caught the most important part of that sentence.

  "There's a Stage Two?!"

  The news nearly made him explode with frustration right then and there.

  [In Stage Two, the Challenger can cast both Magic Barriers and Magic Projectiles. Both will only neutralize a single incoming attack.] [The Challenger must use the correct magic to counter the incoming attacks.]

  Having survived Stage One, Kael immediately understood the nightmare of Stage Two. Simply put, pure defense had evolved into a mix of offense and defense. But the difficulty didn't just double—it increased exponentially.

  Switching between offensive and defensive spells while instantly discerning whether an incoming projectile needed to be blocked by a barrier or countered by a magic bolt required a massive amount of mental energy. It was hellish training for both mana control and reflexes.

  "I’m definitely not a natural-born genius," Kael sighed helplessly.

  Outsiders assumed his combat techniques were the result of innate talent. They had no idea that every bit of it was forged in the fires of ten thousand deaths. Even if one could resurrect, the toll on one's psyche was terrifying.

  Inside the Trial Room, time was frozen while Kael performed his upgrade quest.

  This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

  When he finally emerged and saw the counter in his general store, he felt as if a lifetime had passed. His only consolation was that the Class-rank trial didn't have a third stage.

  "I don't know if I’ll ever have the courage to do the Master-rank training," Kael leaned against the counter, taking deep breaths to settle his frayed nerves.

  The System’s notification chimed in at that moment.

  [System: Class-rank Seal issued. Class-rank Skill 'Magic Mastery' loaded.]

  Magic Mastery: Allows the user to instantly cast various spells with high proficiency, dealing increased damage and providing a small chance to inflict various debuffs on enemies.

  Kael froze for several seconds after hearing the description. He quickly clapped a hand over his mouth to stop himself from shouting for joy.

  Magic Mastery was, without a doubt, a passive skill just like Martial Arts Mastery. The ability to use all types of magic was just one of its perks. The truly terrifying part was the word "Instantly."

  It was common knowledge that the more powerful the spell, the longer it took to chant and condense mana. But for Kael, the concept of "casting time" no longer existed.

  "I guess the suffering was worth it," Kael felt a surge of warmth flowing through his body, strengthening his attributes across the board.

  The stats of a Level 50 were worlds apart from a Level 30. While the difference might not be obvious in pure physical terms, once bolstered by Combat Qi or Mana, the actual power gap was several—even dozens—of times greater. This disparity only becomes more pronounced at higher levels.

  Besides the level boost and the Seal, there was supposed to be a Manager’s Suit reward, but that had been deferred until the entire Upgrade Quest was finished.

  "By the way, System, what exactly is my Class?" Kael suddenly remembered. He had received the Seal, but he didn't feel like he belonged to any specific vocation.

  [System: The Host's class is 'Manager.' No other class is required.]

  "What?" Kael was dazed. Since when was "Manager" a combat class? Was this stingy system cheating him out of his class reward?

  [System: Please do not slander the generous System in your heart. It is impossible for the System to withhold the Host's rewards.]

  "You're making things up again! When did I ever slander you?" Kael jumped. He had almost forgotten that this idiot System occasionally "glitched" and read his thoughts—usually right when he was judging it.

  After waiting a moment and getting no response, Kael was sure the System had gone back into hiding.

  "Forget it. No more grinding tonight. I’m going to sleep." He had no energy left for the Arena. As for his "Class"... best not to talk about it.

  Outside Cloud Mist City, the gathering Beast Tide had the citizens living in fear. But this didn't hinder the business at Kael's shop. Qin Ming had begun deploying heavy forces along the city walls, preparing for battle at any moment.

  Under this veneer of false peace, days passed until three days had gone by.

  In Cloud Mist City, it was the silence before the storm. In Radiant Academy, it was much the same.

  Chi Yongqiu had learned about the sophomore challenge, and he was equally pessimistic about their chances. The freshman dorms were shrouded in a gloomy atmosphere.

  "What's with the long faces? The challenge is today, isn't it?" Ying Feng shouted excitedly, knocking on one dorm door after another. He was likely the only person still capable of feeling hyped.

  "Ying Feng, I originally planned to duel you again when I returned, but right now, the first-years can't afford any internal fighting," Chi Yongqiu said, looking at Ying Feng with regret.

  Ke Minglang had heard about the history between these two from Chi Yongqiu. Seeing them standing together, Ke Minglang thought for a moment and said, "Actually, there's a solution. Isn't the arena match against the second-years today? Why don't you both go up in turns and see who can knock out more of them?"